Construction of buildings



Oct. 17, 1961 Filed May 51, 1957 G- K. FINDLAY CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 17, 1961 G. K. FINDLAY 3,004,369

CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS Filed May 51, 1957 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 17, 1961 Filed May 31, 1957 F/GS.

G- K. FINDLAY CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS 4 Sheets$heet 5 alfrmlii flz A ttorneys Oct. 17, 1961 G. K. FINDLAY 3,004,369

CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS Filed May 51, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIIGB FIG] 3,004,369, V v CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS George Kendrick Findlay, /15 Crorner St, London, England v k Filed May 31, 1957, Ser. No. 662,675 Claims priority, application Great Britain June 13, 1956 4 Claims. (Cl. 50-347) This invention relates to the construction of buildingsand to units for use therein. One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of unit designed to impart an external finish to a building and to provide a means for replacing brickwork, stonework or other building material with units which are lighter in weight and easier to install than conventional bricks or blocks of stone.

A further object of the invention is to utilise a number of such units to provide a light wall cladding which can be adequately waterproofed, insulated and finished to give the appearance of a conventional brick or masonry structure. 7

Modern building construction, both for domestic and public purposes, is frequently carried out by assembling prefabricated units on a framework which may be of metal, timber, or reinforced concrete but there exists a preference for traditional building materials and architectural styles which the present invention is designed to meet by providing units whose external surfaces can be formed to simulate brickwork or masonry and thereby enable the exterior of a building to be finished in any selected style.

According to one featureof the'invent'ion a building unit is formed from a material capable of being, cast, moulded or extruded and -incl'udes a part formed with a surface to simulate brickwork, masonry or other building material and a second part formed integral with the first part but lying in a different plane and constructed to enable the unit to be mounted upon a building structure. I

According to another feature of the invention a building unit formed from a materialcapable of being cast,

moulded or extruded. comprises a slab of substantially rectilineal form havinga lower part whose surface is grooved or otherwise formed to simulate brickwork, masonry or other building material-and an upper part tying in a plane inclined to and offset from the'plane of the lower part and formed with means to engage a component of a building framework.

A further feature of a cladding for building construction comprises a number of such units adapted to be arranged in-overlapping relationship on horizontal components carried by orforming parts of a structure to form on assembly a wall surface simulatingthe appearance of conventional brickwork, masonry or any other desired pattern.

According 'to-a still further feature of the invention a building construction comprises a framework including vertical and horizontal components, a number of units each having a panel formed to simulate bricks, stone blocks or the like and a portion ofiset from said panel and means forsecuring-said unitsin positions depending from the horizontal components of said framework with the panels in one row overlapping the oifset portions of the row beneath to form an assembly in which the said panels simulatethe-appearance of brickwork, masonry or the like. a

T Referencewill nowbe made to the accompanying drawings in which:

3,904,369 Patented Oct. 17, I961 FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the unit taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a plan of the unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 5 is an elevation of part of a wall structure embodying a slightly modified form of unit, with parts broken away to show the interior,

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line AB of FIG. 5, showing the method of assembling the wall units,

FIG. 7 is a detail view showing one means for sealing the joints between the overlapping units shown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a detail View showing an alternative sealing means,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a device for retaining the wall units in their assembled positions on the framework,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the device shown in FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a component for use in sealing the joints, and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a sealing component for use at a wall corner.

Each unit comprises two panels, a lower panel A arranged when in use to occupy a vertical position and an upper panel B lying on a plane oifset from the plane of the lower panel A. The upper panel B may be inclined to the lower panel A as shown in FIG. 3 or parallel therewith as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. The two panels are connected throughout their entire length by a neck portion C having an upper surface 1 lying in a plane substantially at right angles to the-surface of the panel A and a lower inclined surface 2 thereby imparting to this part of the unit a thicker cross section as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 to 8 in order to strengthen the connection between the upper and lower panels.

To give the outer surface of the lower panel A the appearance of brickwork, this surface is formed during manufacture with horizontal grooves 3 and vertical grooves 4 at distances apart corresponding to the dimensions of bricks, these grooves being shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6. The opposite or rear surface of the panel is formed with vertical and horizontal ribs 5 whose positions coincide with the positions of the grooves 3 and 4 and which serve to strengthen the panel by preserving a uniform thickness in the panel A at places which would otherwise be of reduced thickness due to the presence of the grooves. The vertical and horizontal edges of the panel A are formed with rearwardly. extending ribs or flanges 6 and '7 respectively. The vertical and lower horizontal edges of the unit at those places where the representation of a complete brick terminates are also eccssed as shown at 8 and 1 4 so that when panels are assembled end to'end a complete groove similar to one of the grooves 4 is thereby formed. w

The upper panel B of the unit is formed with recesses 9 at intervals in its upper edge for the purpose of accommodating means or devices for securing the unit in position on the framework of a building. Between these recesses 9 the uppper portion of the unit terminates in rearwardly extending flanges it) the purpose of which is to act, in effect, as hooks to hang the unit on to a horizontal'component of abuilding framework. Immediately below these flanges the upper edge of the panel is'formed of thickened cross section as shownat 11 in FIGS. 3 and 6.

The units as above described can be formed by casting or moulding from concrete, asbestos, clay or other mouldable material with which a colouring matter can be admixed according to the finished appearance required in the completed structure of which the unit is to form a part. The unitmay be constructed from cementitious materials, cast or moulded and allowed to set or 'it may steel, timber or reinforced concrete.

be constructed from materials from which bricks or tiles 7 are commonly made and fired in the same manner as bricks.

, When a number of units constructed as above described is assembled to form a complete wall surface the lower part of each vertical panel A overlaps the upper portion B of the next succeeding panel below it and in this way a substantially continuous wall surface can be constructed.

One method of assembling units of the character described to form a wall surface will now' be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 12.

The wall construction shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 consists of an assembly of units in the nature of slabs or tiles which are constructed as described above and each unit is mounted in operative position by causing flanges 10 to engage over a timber batten 12 occupying a horizontal position. A number of these battens is fixed to upright members 13 of a building framework which may be of The upright members 13 are preformed to enable the horizontal battens 12 to be correctly positioned and if of steel, the members 13 are drilled, ridged or grooved at appropriate points in their height. If the upright members are of concrete or reinforced concrete they are moulded with shallow depressions in their surfaces for the purpose of accurately positioning the battens 12.

The spacing of the timber battens 12 is such that on assembly, the lower panels A of the units in one row overhang the upper panels B of the units in the row immediately below as shown in FIG. 6. The brickwork appearance is completed by the application of a pointing material as shown at 15 in FIG. 5 to the grooves 3 and 4 and to the grooves formed on assembly by the recesses 8 and 14. The lower and side edges of the units are thus obscured and the whole assembly assumes the appearance of a continuous brick Wall surface. This may conveniently be achieved by using the pointing material which forms the subject of British Patent No. 775,303.

In order to provide a means for retaining the units A-B in their positions on the battens 12, clips of which examples are illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 are employed. Each clip is formed from a single piece of stout wire and consists of two downwardly extending loops 16 connected by a horizontal portion 17. The rear arms 18 of the loops extend upwardly above the connection 17 and are bent at right angles to form rearwardly extending arms 19 terminating in downwardly directed pointed ends 20.

In using the clips they are caused to engage the upper panels B of two adjacent units, upon the front surfaces of which rest the rear arms 18 of the loops. They are retained in this position in which they prevent displacement of the units by passing the arms 19 through the recesses 9 formed in the upper edges of panels B and by driving the pointed ends 20 into the upper surfaces of the wooden battens 12. Alternatively, the rear ends of the arms 19 may be turned to form eyes 21 as shown in FIG. 10 through which nails can be driven to secure the clip in position.

The loops 16 of the clip serve to receive the lower ends of sheets of waterproofing material 22 whose upper ends are fixed to the front surfaces of the battens 12 (FIG. 6) before the units A, B are installed, and which, by depending between the panel B and the upper panel B of the next adjacent unit below provide a complete waterproofing medium for the entire wall surface.

The space between the lower edge of each panel A and the shoulder formed by the adjacent neck portion C of the next succeeding unit below is sealed continuously or at intervals by means which include a metal angle member 23 (FIGS. 7 and 11) which is fixed by copper tacks 24 and plugs 25 into the neck portion C. After assembly, mastic is forced into the space between the lower edge of panel A and the neck portion C, the pressure of the upper unit forcing the mastic 26 to fill the space adjacent the said space and conform to the contours of the two adjacent surfaces. In this way entry of moisture between the two overlapping units is efiectually prevented. At a wall corner the member 23 is replaced by one of right angled form shown at 2.7 in perspective in FIG. 12. The sealing arrangement above described leaves the recess 14 free for application of the pointing material as above described. r i

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 8 the angle members 23 and 27, tacks 24 and plugs 25 are omitted and the seal completed by insertion of a body of mastic 26a between the lower edge of a panel A and the shoulder C on the unit immediately below. The sealing means shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 also provide a form of mechanical lock between adjacent overlapping units and thereby avoid dependence on the pointing for that purpose.

The structure may conveniently be completed by fixing to the rear surfaces of the battens 12 a covering 28 (FIG. 6) formed of slabs of glass silk or other heat or sound insulating material. This covering completes what is in effect a cavity wall and on the inner surface of the insulating layer any suitable units can be mounted and fixed to the columns 13 to provide an interior wall surface. The cavity 29 also affords space to accommodate additional insulating material.

The units can be perforated for nailing to the supporting battens instead of using the members 10 as shown.

The invention possesses the advantages that the units described can be assembled by an unskilled person by hanging them on to a prefabricated frame; that the units being substantially lighter in weight than bricks an entire building construction can be erected more cheaply than by using bricks; that the wall structure formed is stable and permanent and possesses all the advantages hitherto requiring more substantial and complex arrangements; and that the units can be moulded to impart to the surfaces of the lower panels any desired appearance enabling the exteriors of buildings to be finished in a variety of styles. For example, the units formed with an appropriate colouring matter can be moulded with the surfaces of their lower panels in imitation of stonework either dressed or rusticated.

I claim:

1. A wall structure for buildings including horizontal supporting members, a cladding comprising a number of panels each having a lower section and an upper section offset from the lower section, and a flange extending rearwardly from the upper edge of said upper section for suspending the panel from one of the supporting members, metal clips, each adapted to engage in a supporting member, pass over the upper edges of two adjacent panels and 'to rest upon their front surfaces for securing the panels in positions depending from the supporting members with the 'lower sections in one row overlapping the ofiset upper clip is formed from a single piece of stout wire and comprises two parallel, downwardly extending loops the front arms of which are connected together at their upper ends by a horizontal portion and the rear arms of which extend upwardly beyond the front arms and are bent at right angles to form rearwardly extending portions adapted at their ends to be secured to a supporting member.

3. A wall structure according to claim 2 wherein the rearwardly extending portions terminate in downwardly directed points adapted to be driven into a supporting member.

4. A wall structure according to claim 2 wherein the ends of the rearwardly extending portions form eyes through which nails can be driven into a supporting member.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent 2,149,818

UNITED STATES PATENTS 670,723 Nebeling Mar. 26, 1901 1,572,919 Geese Feb. 16, 1926 5 1,909,625 Meier May 16, 1953 3,499 1,961,627 Wilber June 5, 1934 650,670 2,006,635 826,191

Farr July 2, 1935 6 North Mar. 7, 1939 Ronzone July 23, 1940 Roe Dec. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1902 Great Britain 1951 Germany 1951 

